


Haunted

by fanbabble



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Cemetery, Friends to Lovers, Ghosts, M/M, Making Out, teen!rhink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-07
Updated: 2020-10-07
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:40:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26880847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fanbabble/pseuds/fanbabble
Summary: Hauntober 2020 prompt "Haunted"
Relationships: Rhett McLaughlin/Link Neal
Comments: 10
Kudos: 31
Collections: Hauntober 2020





	Haunted

**Author's Note:**

> Hauntober 2020 prompt "Haunted"

A cool wind blew across the graveyard rustling Link’s hair. He shivered and wrapped the blanket tighter around his shoulders. Rhett sat at his side eating candy and talking about the upcoming basketball tryouts. He was sure he would make varsity again unless that new freshman was as good at 3 pointers as his dad said. Rhett was unphased by the cold as usual choosing to sit on his blanket instead of wearing it as a cape. Yesterday it had been 80 degrees and today it was 67, but weather in North Carolina could be like that, unpredictable. Leaves flew across the cemetery carried by the breezes that were beginning to make Link shiver. He wrapped the blanket tighter around himself and focused his attention back on his best friend.

Spending the night in the cemetery was something they had talked about doing for a long time. The story of the Buies Creek Cemetery ghost was well known. It had been told for decades. Passed down from father to son and brother to brother, like an old fishing pole or a prized BBQ recipe. As legend had it, the spirit that haunted the old cemetery was a young woman who had been killed in a car crash on the way to see her boyfriend. The young man couldn't go on without her and drown himself in Buies Creek. He was buried in this very cemetery. The young woman’s spirit roamed the graveyard every night searching for her boyfriend, never able to find him, destined to forever be alone and to never rest in peace. It didn’t take much for Rhett to convince Link that this was the night. The time to finally see if the ghost was real by camping out in the graveyard on the most haunted night of them all, Halloween. 

The pair had spent the week getting everything ready, blankets, food, flashlights. They had stowed it all in the trunk of Rhett's car to make sure no one found out their plan. Link told his mom he was staying at Rhett’s house and Rhett told his parents the same but about Link. They would never question it. The boys were usually together on the weekends at one house or the other. Link had suggested inviting some other school friends, but Rhett insisted it just be the two of them. 

Rhett and Link spent that evening helping out at the church’s “fall festival”. Once everything was cleaned up and the pastor sent them on their way, Rhett took a bag and stuffed it full of leftover candy before grabbing Link by the wrist and dragging him out to the car. Rhett was more than excited and Link was just happy to be along for another grand adventure. Now as they sat here together stuffing their faces with Milky Ways and Reese’s, the excitement had mellowed and turned into an uncomfortable nervousness in Link’s belly. 

“Hand me the candy, man. I’m starving,” Link snatched the bag out of Rhett’s lap. 

The pair had set up behind a large monument at the back of the graveyard in the hopes of not being seen. If their parents caught them out here they would never hear the end of it. Anything dealing with the occult was an automatic ticket to hell. Link leaned his head back on the cold monument stone and closed his eyes as he chewed his 3rd Snickers in a row. He was startled by something brushing along his cheek. He let out a loud yelp and opened his eyes to find Rhett holding a branch and laughing hysterically.

“You jumped about 3 feet in the air, Link. I’ve never seen someone so scared just from being touched by a leaf.” Rhett rolled on the ground laughing and holding his stomach.

“Hush,” Link said meekly. His cheeks flushed red and he pulled the blankets closer around his body.

Rhett kicked at Link with his foot. “I’m just messing with you, bo. Nothing to be scared about. I’ll protect you.” His voice went soft and tender. Rhett looked down at the flashlight in his hands and flicked it on and off a few times. 

“Thanks,” Link mumbled. He kicked back and let his leg rest against Rhett’s. 

The pair went on like this for the next few hours, joking back and forth, eating way too much junk food, and talking about life until Rhett’s eyelids grew heavy and Link couldn’t control the shivering.

“Let’s just take a nap. An hour or so. I can hardly keep my eyes open,” Rhett laid his blanket out on the lush grass. He had bought the comforter from the spare room and he knew his mom would not be happy to see it outside like this.

“Alright, but I’m freezing, man. I’m not giving up my blanket.” Link scooted closer to Rhett.

“You don’t have to. Come here.” Rhett laid down on his back and patted the empty space next to him. 

Link paused. His cheeks burned and his belly did a flip flop. He chewed his bottom lip for a minute before quickly laying down next to Rhett. He rolled over on his side facing away from his friend and drew his knees up to his chest. Link felt a tugging at the blanket he held tight to his chest. 

“Share?” Rhett’s voice was barely audible. 

Link loosened his grasp and allowed the larger boy to spread the wool blanket out over both of them. He tucked his hands between his knees and curled himself into the smallest ball possible to keep warm. The shivers continued to move through his body and his teeth began to chatter. 

As Link tried to calm his mind he felt Rhett shift and then lay down behind him. Before Link could question what his friend was doing, Rhett spoke, “Being close is supposed to keep the heat in… at least that’s what all the survival books say.”

Link thought about what Rhett said and he had to admit the parts of his body that touched Rhett’s did feel warmer. The larger boy seemed to radiate heat. 

“I can’t stop shivering.” 

Rhett wrapped an arm around Link’s shoulders and pulled him in close. He slotted his long legs against Link’s. They were connected from shoulder to ankle now. Link let himself lean back into the firm muscle of Rhett’s chest. It felt good. Solid. Link’s heart raced in his chest. Could Rhett feel it pounding under the spot where his arm wrapped around Link’s body? Being this close was taboo and exhilarating. Is this how they would sleep if they were married? Link brushed that thought out of his mind.

Link’s shivers began to subside and his eyelids felt heavy. The excitement and physical exertion of the day were catching up with him. Just as he was about to doze off he felt Rhett’s hand trail down his arm and come to rest on his stomach. His fingers traced a lazy circular pattern on the skin that peeked out where Link’s shirt had ridden up. Link’s skin was on fire and his heart was racing again. 

Rhett flatted his palm and pushed it up under the soft fabric. He squeezed the gentle swell of Link’s stomach and let his pinky slip under the waistband of his jeans. 

Link was fully awake now. He never imagined it would feel this good to have Rhett’s hands on his body. He couldn’t stop himself from pushing back into the solid wall of the boy behind him. This was all the encouragement Rhett needed and he drug his nose along the back of Link's neck. The smaller boy rolled over in Rhett’s strong embrace until they faced each other. The pair were so close they breathed the same air. 

“What are you doing?” Link whispered.

“You were cold. I want to take care of you,” Rhett said as he ghosted a hand down Link’s side and squeezed his hip bone. The look on his face said everything Rhett didn’t. His pupils were blown wide with desire and his tongue slipped out to wet his lips. The way his soft pink tongue moved across the plump skin was the most erotic thing Link had ever seen. Before he realized what he was doing, Link leaned forward and swiped his own tongue across Rhett’s bottom lip then gave him a look that couldn’t be mistaken for anything but a yes. 

Rhett was on him in an instant. The kiss was all tongue and wet lips sliding together. It felt electric. Time stopped and the world faded away. Their bodies pressed together and Link slid a leg between Rhett’s thighs. On the next kiss Rhett rocked his hips down into Link’s and felt the hard line of his arousal meet Link’s. It was almost too much. Hands in hair and under shirts led to Rhett leaving a hot trail of kisses down Link’s neck. The blankets were tossed aside and forgotten. The pair were no longer cold, instead warmed by the push and pull of moving against each other and hot breaths moaned into the night. 

Link reached down with tentative fingers to grab at the hem of Rhett’s shirt when a strong gust of wind blew through the graveyard. It slammed a crypt door shut with a loud BAM BAM BAM that echoed against the other headstones. The pair jumped up from the ground and put several feet of distance between themselves. Something brushed against the back of Rhett's neck and he screamed in terror. Link doubled over laughing at the sight of the other boy trying to fight off a tree branch that was caught in his hoodie. 

“You’re so scared, bo! That’s what you get for messing with me earlier,” Link could barely get it out he was laughing so hard. 

“Shut up, Link.” Rhett brushed himself off and started folding the blankets from the ground. “I was a little surprised is all. You distracted me,” he said pointing an accusatory finger at Link. The smile on his face revealed his true feelings. 

Link blushed and took the blankets from Rhett. “Why are you packing up? Weren’t you having fun?” 

Rhett grabbed the flashlights in one hand and threaded the fingers of his other together with Link’s. He walked backwards dragging Link along toward the parking lot with him, a precocious smile on his face.

“Yeah, I was. Your mom working tonight?”

Link smiled and ran a hand over the back of his neck as he nodded yes. 

The pair ran to the car. The haunted graveyard long forgotten.


End file.
